Irenaeus (130 A.D. – 202 AD) was a bishop of the church in Lyons, France. - On the subject of the Rapture, in Against Heresies 5.29, he wrote:
“Those nations however, who did not of themselves raise up their eyes unto heaven, nor returned thanks to their Maker, nor wished to behold the light of truth, but who were like blind mice concealed in the depths of ignorance, the word justly reckons “as waste water from a sink, and as the turning-weight of a balance — in fact, as nothing;” so far useful and serviceable to the just, as stubble conduces towards the growth of the wheat, and its straw, by means of combustion, serves for working gold. And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.” For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.”
“Those nations however, who did not of themselves raise up their eyes unto heaven, nor returned thanks to their Maker, nor wished to behold the light of truth, but who were like blind mice concealed in the depths of ignorance, the word justly reckons “as waste water from a sink, and as the turning-weight of a balance — in fact, as nothing;” so far useful and serviceable to the just, as stubble conduces towards the growth of the wheat, and its straw, by means of combustion, serves for working gold. And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.” For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption.”
[I've posted this before, myself...]
It seems Irenaeus is saying the same thing I say (and other pre-tribbers I know say)...
--"the Church [WHICH IS HIS BODY]" (Eph1:20-23 WHEN [as to its existence]--ALL those having come to faith "in this present age [singular]")
[is distinct from]
--"the righteous" (per passages in the Olivet Discourse [and parallel passages], like Matt25:31-34, to end of chpt "the righteous" [SHEEP of the nations, those having come to faith FOLLOWING "our Rapture," and who are "still-living" at the END of the Trib, who will ENTER the promised and prophesied EARTHLY Millennial Kingdom upon His "RETURN" to the earth--ENTER the MK in their mortal bodies (ONLY "saints" will ENTER)]; like its related Matt13:24,30,39,40,49-50 "the righteous"--same time-slot as the aforementioned)
I think there is an assumption that Irenaeus is speaking of identical persons, in his use of the terms "Church" and "the righteous"... but pre-tribbers see these as being distinct (primarily in that they come to faith in/during/within distinct TIME PERIODS)
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